Ear Pierce
by Mariposa-Sanctum
Summary: The hint of scarlet on his cheeks was probably her imagination. The hint of a smile on her lips was probably his imagination too.  ShikaHina


**Disclaimer:** I do not own any aspect of Naruto. (If I did team 8 would get loads of more screen time)

Alright! My first fanfic! And I'm pretty proud of it honestly gotta admit not a really well thought out title but the idea has been stuck in my head for a while so why not share my love for Shikahina.

So well read along fellow reader. Critiques and love are well welcomed in my domain!

* * *

**Ear Pierced**

She didn't know what possessed her to ask him do this for her.

No Hyuga had ever had it done to them. Maybe it was just to piss the Hyuga off. It would surely cause an uproar with her father and maybe even Neji for pulling off such a juvenile act.

Maybe she just felt left out from her friends. The Shika-Ino-Chou trio were known for their pierced ears. Kiba and even Shino had their ears pierced. It did kinda make her feel like an odd one out.

Maybe it was Naruto and a reason for him to notice her. For him to notice the minimal change in her looks even if it were just her ears.

Or maybe she wanted to do it just because she wanted to. No premeditated plan set out for her. Just the little she could do for herself as an act and reminder that she still had control over her life and can do what she pleased with it.

She didn't know what reason it was but she did know for herself that she wasn't backing out from it.

He was skeptical she could still, maybe a tad of stunned. Even still as she sat cross legged on his outside porch.

She had figured she had chosen him out from all her trusted friends just for the fact that he wouldn't question her motives. For that she was glad.

Even if he did refuse at first and she had to pull out her puppy-dog eyed just to get him to do this for her.

He would reluctantly agree muttering how he knew he was gonna suffer some horrible death by her family.

She wouldn't let that happen of course.

"So, you're sure you want to do this?" he had asked her, an eyebrow raised.

She merely nodded. She had made the decision long before and she for sure wasn't going to back out from it anytime soon.

He nodded and got down on the floor beside her. He started taking things out from his bag he had brought along from his room.

He had failed to mention to her that he had never done that sort of thing to anyone before, but had seen it be done to many plenty of times to know what had to be done. His father having been the person to pierce his own.

He didn't stop bitching for a whole week.

"Hold this to your ear," he told her, handing her a cube of ice he had gotten from his kitchen earlier before.

She took the freezing ice cube from his hand and held it to her left ear. She had glanced away once she caught sight of the shiny needle he held in his hand.

"I can't believe you actually want this." He spoke with uncertainty. He was still in shock by it all. Hinata never struck him as the type to want something like this.

The Hyuga probably saw it as 'rebel' behavior and if they ever caught wind of who had helped her they would surely have his head.

Sure it did leave him wondering why him of all people she would ask. He was sure it wasn't his place to question her motives nor his business. He wouldn't be surprised if she wanted the piercing to piss off her family and if that was the case more power to her he guessed. But it didn't leave him feeling any better about it. He was sure to be at the receiving end of the wrath that is Hyuga.

He wasn't sure who would be the first to show up at his doorstep to beat the living shit out of him, Hiashi or Neji.

He was imagining his untimely death by the time Hinata had given him the half melted ice cube. Her ear was now sufficiently numb as were her fingers.

She watched with curious eyes as he took out his lighter. Asuma's lighter. Something he always kept on him, no matter. A keepsake or memento of his late sensei, she didn't know, nor was it her place to even ask. She felt guilty for even wondering why he kept it with him.

"Sterilizing it," he explained, as if sensing her curiosity. He opened the lighter and let it flare to life. He held it up so she could see what he was doing. He took the needle and set it inside the flame for a few seconds.

She trusted that he knew what he was doing.

While examining the needle he turned his gaze on her. "Doesn't seem like you to suddenly want an ear pierce, Hinata."

Hinata nodded. He had a point but she too had her own that she wanted to prove.

"I-It's difficult to e-explain." Their went her stutter. She was sure she had that under control well not until a certain blonde haired came around then she was certainly a stuttering mess.

He shrugged he wouldn't press her on it. He wouldn't want her to be spluttering her excuse or even worse and give him the ole "That's none of your business!" that women loved to toss around when they felt they were being invaded, women were troublesome like that. Of course it really wasn't Hinata's nature to be rude nor blunt but for all Shikamaru knew the saying always went 'It's always the quiet ones.'

(Anyways he rather liked to keep the image of a kind and quiet Hinata then a psycho and crazy one.)

"…So are you ready?"

The feeling in Hinata's ear was beginning to come back, and the ice cube was now completely melted on the floor, and she was nervous, but she wasn't gonna back down. "Yes."

Shikamaru handed Hinata the stud they planned to have her be wearing in a few minutes. She had swallowed back a whimper when she felt the tip of the needle on her ear.

Mentally she felt as if it was gonna trigger some horrible pain nerve in her ear. In reality she really didn't even feel the needle.

"Don't move your head," Shikamaru told her. She almost nodded.

"Mmhmm." Hinata squeezed her eyes shut.

How long would it take?

Why was he taking his time?

Why hasn't he just put the needle through?

Why was he making her suffer?

What was taking-

"It's done," she heard Shikamaru say.

Her eyes fluttered open. She instinctively felt her ear though gently. The needle was now sticking out through, and it had entirely pierced the earlobe.

Shikamaru carefully reached, wiggled the needle around a little, and pulled it back out. He took the stud from Hinata's hands and replaced it inside the new hole. It had hurt a little more this time as the stud was more thicker then the needle itself but otherwise was a perfect fit.

He leaned back to examine his handiwork. His first time and came out an success.

"It looks good," He said reaching behind him picking up his mothers little mirror and handing it to Hinata.

The lobe that had been punctured was red and irritated, and there was a small ring of blood around the hole, but, she had to admit, it did look …kind of good.

"Wow," She said breathlessly. Her eyes were glued to the mirror, checking out the stud from all angles. "It looks so different."

Shikamaru nearly laughed. "Not really," he said. "It suits you nice actually."

He wasn't lying when he said that. She really did look nice. Sorta pretty even.

Hinata could see his face through the mirror. She could see his own little studs on his ears. Theirs were almost the same, where Shikamaru's stud ball was bigger while Hinata's was smaller. She blushed at his compliment as she lightly touched her sensitive earlobe.

A sense of self fulfilment welled her heart. She had done something for herself. No one telling her what she should or shouldn't do. A decision she had made all on her own. And with that thought it made her happy and even proud of herself.

All with the help of Shikamaru of course. She couldn't thank him enough.

"There's a little blood…" Shikamaru noted breaking her from her thoughts. He took some of the red liquid off with his thumb, and was amused when Hinata's cheeks turned to a darker color of red.

She was really pretty, Shikamaru decided. Something he never really paid mind to. He never really did pay mind to girls. They were a pain and didn't know when to shut up. Though at that moment he gave himself the liberty of enjoying Hinata's beauty.

She surprised him as she turned to him, smiling her usual bright smile. She leaned over, giving him a soft peck on his cheek.

"Thank you, Shikamaru."

The hint of scarlet on his cheeks was probably her imagination.

"Uh Hinata, we still have your other ear."

The hint of a smile on her lips was probably his imagination too.


End file.
